Republican House Tacks Hate Crimes
Amendment to Children’s Safety Act
Commentary by Jim Day
In what can only be
characterized as an outrageous move that strikes at the heart of free speech
and thought in America, the U.S. House of Representatives on September 14, 2005
approved HR 2662 (The Local Law
Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005) adding it as an amendment to
the Children’s Safety Act, (HR 3132)
by a margin of 223-199. The amendment added three new group classifications of
people to existing Federal hate crimes statutes for crimes “motivated by
prejudice based on actual or perceived sexual
orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim.” Current hate crimes law only includes stiffer
penalties for Federal offenses when the attacker is motivated by the actual or
perceived race, religion or ethnic background of the victim.
The amendment to
the Children’s Safety Act (HR 3132
– which, among other things, creates a national website for child sex offenders
and stipulates that sex 
felons
face up to 20 years in prison for failing to comply with registration requirements)
was offered by Congressman John Conyers, (D) MI. Thirty Republicans, 192 Democrats
and one Independent voted to add the amendment, while 194 Republicans and
five Democrats voted against it. (The official recorded vote – Vote
469 – which shows how Missouri and Illinois Congressmen voted on this
amendment is listed later in this commentary.)
The House has been
the chief obstacle in numerous previous attempts to expand Federal hate crimes
law, and Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights
Campaign, the nation’s largest homosexual-activist group, told the Associated Press that the House vote was
an “incredibly historic vote” that could give momentum to similar action in the
Senate.
Robert Knight of
Concerned Women for America was stunned when the vote was taken with virtually
no notice. “We had no notice that this was happening,” Knight said in an e-mail
announcing the action. “The only positive thing I can say is that this was a
recorded vote.”
After
the Conyers amendment was passed and added to The Children’s Safety Act it was then approved by a 371-52 vote in
the House (The official recorded vote on passage of HB 3132 – Vote 470 – which lists how Missouri and
Illinois Congressmen voted is also listed later in this commentary.)
The Children’s Safety Act has now been
referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee under the chair of veteran hate laws advocate Senator Arlen
Specter who is a co-sponsor of the Senate’s evil twin version of HB 2662 --
S.1145. The Senate version also includes “sexual orientation” protections.
This is not good given the fact
that last year the Senate voted to give homosexuals special protection under Federal
hate crimes law. Fortunately the Senate’s attempt failed
thanks to conservatives in the House, but this year could have a different
outcome.
A Bureaucracy of Thought Control
This Federal legislation,
orchestrated by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of B’nai
B’rith according to Rev. Ted Pike of the National
Prayer Network, will lead to the creation of a vast anti-hate bureaucracy in
America, similar to what now exists in Canada. In Canada it is a “hate crime”
to publicly criticize such Federally protected groups
as homosexuals. In Canada free speech talk radio no longer exists. It is even
illegal now in some areas to evangelize or proselytize in public. If signed by
the President, HR 3132 in its present state will establish a “hate crimes”
bureaucracy in America that will institute thought control and end free speech.
How? HR 2662 and
S.1145, while ostensibly punishing only violent hate crimes, nevertheless
creates an anti-hate bureaucracy through several means:
1. It breaks down all barriers between Federal
and States’ rights in law enforcement and will allow Federal thought police to meddle, upon the flimsiest of pretexts,
in States’ enforcement of civil rights laws.
2. It requires all States to pass and enforce ADL-style anti-hate laws.
3. It enforces nationwide the working ADL definition of “hate” as being
“bias” against Federally protected groups, such as homosexuals, which could
make the Bible hate literature and thus
turn preaching from it into hate speech. Result: Bible-believing Christians become potential hate criminals.
As some readers may recall, the
nation was shocked last October 10th when the ADL’s
national executive board member Lynne Abraham, the District Attorney of
Philadelphia, arrested 11 Christians as hate
criminals. Her charge: Their preaching was “biased” against homosexuals.
They were “hate criminals” because they used an “instrument of crime” (a
megaphone) to express “hate speech,” (Bible
verses) against homosexuals.
If this big brother legislation
becomes law, the ADL and Federal government will, through enabling legislation
and judicial precedents, be exponentially empowered to indict Christians.
Pastors, talk show hosts, publishers – anyone critical of
the homosexual agenda or the sin of homosexuality -- will be open to arrest and
prosecution just like the Philadelphia Eleven.
How Your Congressmen Voted
The people of
Missouri and Illinois need to know how their elected Representatives voted on
Conyers’ hate crimes amendment and HR 1332. They need to know who had the
integrity to stand-up for righteous, who supported the homosexual agenda and
who played politics. The following are the recorded Congressional Record votes
on Conyers’ hate crimes amendment to HR 3132 (Vote 469) and the final vote on
HR 3132 which contained Conyers’ amendment that was sent to the Senate (Vote
470).
| Missouri Congressmen who voted “YES” to add the amendment: |
| Wm. Lacy Clay, (D) Dist. 1 |
| Russ Carnahan, (D) Dist. 3 |
| Ike Skelton, (D) Dist. 4 |
| Emanuel Cleaver, (D) Dist. 5 |
| Missouri
Congressmen who voted “NO” to not add the amendment: |
| Todd Akin, (R) Dist. 2 |
| Sam Graves, (R) Dist. 6 |
| Roy Blunt, (R) Dist. 7 |
| Jo Ann Emerson, (R) Dist. 8 |
| Kenny Hulshof, (R) Dist.9 |
| Illiniois Congressmen who voted “YES” to add the amendment: |
| Bobby Rush, (D) Dist. 1 |
| Jesse Jackson, (D) Dist. 2 |
| Daniel Lipinski, (D) Dist. 3 |
| Luis Gutierrez, (D) Dist. 4 |
| Rahm Emanuel, (D) Dist. 5 |
| Danny Davis, (D) Dist. 7 |
| Melissa Bean, (D) Dist. 8 |
|
Janice Schakowsky, (D) Dist. 9 |
| Mark Kirk, (R) Dist. 10 |
| Jerry Weller, (R) Dist. 11 |
| Jerry Costello, (D) Dist. 12 |
| Judy Biggert, (R) Dist. 13 |
| Lane Evans, (D) Dist. 17 |
| Ray LaHood, (R) Dist. 18 |
| John Shimkus, (R) Dist. 19 |
| Illiniois Congressmen who voted “NO” to not add the
amendment: |
| Henry Hyde, (R) Dist. 6 |
| Timothy Johnson, (R) Dist. 15 |
| Donald Manzullo, (R) Dist. 16 |
| No votes were found for Dennis Hastert, (R) Dist. 14. |
|
Missouri
Congressmen who voted “YES” to pass HR 3132 |
| Wm. Lacy Clay, (D) Dist. 1 |
| Ike Skelton, (D) Dist. 4 |
| Emanuel Cleaver, (D) Dist. 5 |
|
Sam Graves, (R) Dist. 6 |
| Jo Ann Emerson, (R) Dist. 8 |
| Kenny Hulshof, (R) Dist.9 |
Missouri Congressmen
who voted “NO” to not pass HR 3132 |
| Todd Akin, (R) Dist. 2 |
|
Illinois Congressmen
who voted “YES” to pass HR 3132 |
| Bobby Rush, (D) Dist. 1 |
| Jesse Jackson, (D) Dist. 2 |
| Daniel Lipinski, (D) Dist. 3 |
| Luis Gutierrez, (D) Dist. 4 |
| Rahm Emanuel, (D) Dist. 5 |
|
|
| Mark Kirk, (R) Dist. 10 |
| Jerry Weller, (R) Dist. 11 |
| Jerry Costello, (D) Dist. 12 |
| Judy Biggert, (R) Dist. 13 |
| Timothy Johnson, (R) Dist. 15 |
| Donald Manzullo, (R) Dist. 16 |
| Lane Evans, (D) Dist. 17 |
| Ray LaHood, (R) Dist. 18 |
| John Shimkus, (R) Dist. 19 |
|
Illinois Congressmen
who voted “NO” to not pass HR 3132 |
| Danny Davis, (D) Dist. 7 |
| Janice Schakowsky, (D) Dist. 9 |
| No votes were found for Dennis Hastert, (R)
Dist. 14. |
Voting Commentary
There were only two Missouri Congressmen
-- Todd Akin and Roy Blunt -- who did not vote to add Conyers’ amendment to HB
3132 and voted against HB 3132 after the amendment was added. These two
Congressmen should be applauded for standing their ground and doing what was
right!
Sam
Graves (R), Jo Ann Emerson (R), and Kenny Hulshof (R) all voted initially
not to allow the addition of the Conyers amendment. However, when the rubber
met the road, these three Congressmen turned around and voted for HB 3132
with Conyers’ hate crimes amendment attached. What happened to their resolve
to do the right thing? Why didn’t they stand their ground like Akin and Blunt?
Democrats William
Lacy Clay, Russ Carnahan, Ike Skelton, and Emanuel Cleaver all voted for the
hate crimes amendment as well as HB 3132 with the amendment attached. Then
again, what would you expect from people loyal to a party that embraces the
homosexual agenda.
Looks like pure politics to me!
There was however
one particular Illinois Congressman who surprised me. John Shimkus, (R) Dist.
19, who I thought was a conservative, voted to add the Conyers hate crimes
amendment to HB 3132 and also voted to pass it on to the Senate. Needless
to say, I was shocked and 
disappointed.
Take Action Now!
If the Senate Judiciary Committee keeps
the new hate crimes definitions or substitutes its own evil version (S.1145,
which includes sexual orientation) in
the Children’s Safety Act, and the
bill is approved by both the full Senate and House, it will then go to
President Bush to be signed into law.
Approval by the
House at this stage does not mean that the members of the House or Senate, by
granting approval, will have cast their final vote on this Orwellian
legislation. Approving an amendment to a bill is not the same as passing a bill
on its own terms. Final approval will come only after conference between the
House and Senate decides whether this hate bill, in amendment form, should be
included in passage of the Children’s Protection
Act. Until then, members of the House and Senate are free to change their
votes. There is also a slim
possibility of a Presidential veto should the House and Senate send it to the
President with the hate bill attached.
I encourage
everyone in Missouri and Illinois to call their U.S. Senators and Congressmen
and tell them to remove any hate crimes amendment from HB 3132. We need to flood
their State and DC offices with calls, faxes, e-mails, and letters. We cannot
allow this hate crimes language to remain in this bill. If we do, it will only be
a matter of time (and I would venture to say a very short period of time should
HB 3132 become law with this hate crimes language still intact) before every homosexual
activist group, school GLSEN club, the ACLU, People for the American Way, the
Southern Poverty Law Center, the NEA and who knows how many other organizations
start intimidating, threatening and suing anyone who is “perceived” to be
standing in the way of the homosexual agenda. And, given our judicial system
today, I would not count on our courts to save the day.
Remember, any “perceived” discrimination/prejudice
(which could include any statement you make in public, disapproving glance or
frown you give someone, action you take (i.e., refusing to allow your child to
join a GLSEN school club) or don’t take (i.e. not supporting gay marriages)
could possibly constitute an act of discrimination if it involves a homosexual
or someone with a disability. The “Gender Identity” portion of the new hate crimes
bill opens up a real can of worms. Gender identity can apply to bisexuals, someone
who thinks they might be homosexual or have homosexual tendencies, cross-dressers,
transgendered people (people who have had a sex
change), someone who believes they should be a woman
instead of a man or visa-versa, and who knows what else. Gender identity is a
real nightmare when you stop to consider that if some deviate decides he wants
to walk into a ladies restroom (no matter where it may be) and someone
complains or tries to stop him they could be charged with a hate crime.
If HB 3132 becomes the law with
this hate crimes language still intact you can kiss your freedom of speech and
thought good-bye (and everything you own once any one of the aforementioned
organizations gets done suing you).
And, real Bible believing, Bible teaching
pastors better be prepared to go to jail. Those hateful Scripture verses that you refer
to when you talk about homosexuality being a sin (which is forgivable) are sure
to be classified as intolerant words of hate and discrimination. Of course
those men of the cloth who already
skip teaching that homosexuality is a sin will have
nothing to worry about. Nothing that is until they’re called
before God to answer why they chose not to teach the whole counsel of God.
Don’t wait for
someone else to make a call, write a letter or send an e-mail telling your
Senator and Congressman to put pressure on the Senate Judiciary Committee to
remove the hate crimes language from HB 3132. Pick up the phone, go to a
computer or sit down and write a letter RIGHT NOW and politely, respectfully,
but firmly tell your Senator and Congressman to remove the hate crimes language
from HB 3132. If you know anyone in another state tell
them to do the same thing with their Senators and Congressmen. Don’t take “NO”
for an answer!
Senator Contact
Information
The following are the State and D.C.
office addresses and phone numbers to call for Missouri Senators Kit Bond and
Jim Talent as well as Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Barack
Obama.
It is particularly important to contact Senator Durbin given
the fact that he sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Christopher (Kit)
Bond (R - MO)
Washington D.C. Office
274 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-5721
Fax: 202-224-8149
St. Louis Office
7700 Bonhomme, Ste. 615
Clayton, MO 63105
Phone: 314-725-4484
Fax: 314-727-3548
James (Jim) Talent, (R - MO)
Washington, D.C. Office
493 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-6154
Fax: 202-228-1518
St. Louis Office
Three City Place Dr., Ste. 1020
St. Louis, MO 63141
Phone: 314-432-5211
Richard (Dick)
Durbin, (D – IL)
Washington, D.C. Office
332 Dirksen Senate Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2152
(202) 228-0400 - fax
Springfield Office
525 South 8th St.
Springfield, IL 62703
(217 ) 492-4062
(217) 492-4382 - fax
Marion Office
701 N. Court St.
Marion, IL 62959
(618) 998-8812
(618) 997-0176 - fax
Barack Obama, (D - IL)
Washington D.C. Office
713 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2854
(202) 228-4260 fax
Springfield Office
607 East Adams St.
Springfield, IL 62701
(217) 492-5089
(217) 492-5099 fax
Portions of this commentary were taken from articles posted on WorldNetDaily, House Adds Sexual Orientation to Hate Crimes,
and House Approves Anti-Hate Bill
by Rev. Ted Pike of the National Prayer Network, both dated September 14,
2005.
